The present invention relates to a blind rivet. More specifically, the present invention relates to a blind rivet and fastening method therefor in which mounted components with large mounting holes can be fastened together using a blind rivet with a washer.
A well-known blind rivet contains a hollow metal rivet body composed of a sleeve and a flange at one end of the sleeve, and a metal mandrel whose stem extends from the flange of the sleeve and passes through the rivet body. This blind rivet is advantageously able to fasten together a plurality of panels by performing an operation on only one side. A flange is formed in one end of the rivet body of the blind rivet, and the rivet body has a cylindrical hollow sleeve extending from the flange. The mandrel in the blind rivet has in the end portion a head whose outer diameter is greater than the inner diameter of the sleeve, and a stem whose outer diameter is able to pass through the rivet body. The head of the mandrel is arranged adjacent to the end of the sleeve which is on the opposite side relative to the flange of the rivet body, and the stem of the mandrel is inserted into the through hole in the rivet body from the flange so as to extend out and complete the assembled blind rivet. The blind rivet is inserted into holes in mounted components such as panels with the head of the mandrel inserted first, and the flange on the sleeve makes contact with the area surrounding the hole in a mounted component. In this state, the flange on the sleeve is held with a fastening tool, and the stem of the mandrel is gripped and pulled strongly from the flange side of the rivet. This deforms one end of the sleeve in the blind rivet and expands the diameter. The mandrel breaks off in the slender breakable portion of the stem, and the panels or other mounted components are fastened between the flange on the rivet body and the expanded-diameter end of the sleeve.
In the case of a blind rivet of the prior art, it is assumed that the outer diameter of the rivet body is greater than the inner diameter of the holes in the mounted components to be fastened. When the outer diameter of the flange on the rivet body is smaller than the inner diameter of the holes in the mounted components to be fastened, the panels or other mounted components cannot be fastened together. As a result, various rivet bodies with different flange diameters have to be prepared based on the hole diameter of the mounted components.